Q and A

Research for Impact is one of the core strategic themes in SU`s Vision 2020. How does your research relate to that?

The United Nations (UN) declared 2021-2030 to be the ‘decade on ecosystem restoration’ and as signatory to various international agreements, South Africa is required to act by conserving and restoring ecosystems and the critical services they support. This critical need therefore places me in the perfect position to contribute to Research for Impact. I achieve this through an understanding of ecological processes, research interactions with excellent ecologists, social scientists and fabulous post-graduates, and a deep interest in ecological restoration. Looking to the future, I wish to apply past and future research findings to formulate solutions for multifunctional and resilient landscapes. While extremely practical, scaling such solutions requires conceptual framing, models and theory to allow for abstraction and large-scale and long-term data inputs (such as those generated through long-term commitment to restoration projects in the Cape Lowlands and Cape river catchments, and collaborative work with international partners).

Please give us your impression of the role that research and innovation can play in the betterment of society?

I think that research, and its documentation through peer-reviewed publications, is a critical component of idea development and sharing. While innovation may originate outside research (such as a great idea), good research can ultimately result in innovation. Research can also be innovative in itself. If we are to imaginatively address the challenges of the Anthropocene, and to seek sustainable and viable solutions, we need to think about how we conduct our research. Notwithstanding the need for depth of knowledge, the answers to sustainability issues lean towards combining knowledge sources and disciplines in inter- and trans-disciplinary ways.

What would you regard as the most important aspects to consider to effectively support researchers?

My PhD supervisor, Richard Cowling, was, and still is, a brilliant mentor. I think that having such top-quality guidance and support, especially early on in my own research career, was key – it gave me the audacity to apply for grants and to seek collaborations. That, coupled with an institutional support base for researchers, such as that provided by SU’s Division for Research Development.

What do you enjoy most about your job and what are the aspects that you find challenging?

I love interacting with my post-graduate and post-doctorate students, especially those interested in their topics and motivated to get the work done. Having the continued opportunity to interact with younger generations has kept me constantly on my toes; it keeps me learning and makes life interesting. I also really enjoy the freedom we have to learn from and question others. The least favourite aspect of my job is probably marking undergraduate scripts; that and filling in multiple forms.

What is the biggest piece of advice that you would give early-career researchers?

It’s preferable to be doing something you like, and are passionate about. You are going to have to put in some long, hard hours before you become a fully established researcher, but even then, try hard to maintain balance in your life. Don’t get buried by the small, meaningless tasks and try to carve out time to think and write and cultivate things that help manage the balance. My saviour has been the magnificent environment of the Western Cape… and an organic vegetable garden.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the way we work. What, from your point of view, is the most pertinent change and how will this affect your work in the future?

Personally, I’d say it has been about slowing down. Now, a walk to buy a takeout coffee has been replaced by a mug of tea in the garden; time in traffic, by yoga and walks; an extended flight overseas to a meeting or conference, with a focused virtual platform. Yet my days are equally, if not more, productive. After initial (and some ongoing) technology challenges, I’ve adjusted well to the online ways of doing things. I’m sure it would have taken me much longer (if ever) to shift onto cloud computing, online meetings and to figure out some of the technologies that are now central to the way we work. Working from home has given me space and time to balance life; a privilege I do recognise, as we are lucky to have meaningful work in these times. I do miss the direct interactions and classes full of enquiring minds and acknowledge the distressing losses of livelihoods and lives during this time. I hope, going forward, that flexible working arrangements for those able to maintain productivity will be possible.

What do you do for fun (apart from research!)

Spending time in our organic vegetable garden gives me the greatest of pleasure; in the past few years I have developed my own form of artwork to celebrate and record such beautiful abundance. I post my vegetable mandalas on Instagram @karenjesler – anyone is welcome to check them out!